Barring Fans from Practice?

I didn't know that teams did this in preseason, but apparrently the Detroit Lions have closed practice to fans... is this an issue for fans? It seems rather shortsighted and cold for a team that needs to garner all the fan support it can... What is the point of closing camp?

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From Patrick McManamon - Browns beat reporter for the Akron Beacon-Journal

3. I see where the Lions have decided not to let fans into training camp. I also read where Matt Millen, the man who runs the Lions, was quite proud of this notion. He seemed to think it would limit distractions, like allowing the people who buy the tickets into camp for a close look at their team somehow was a distraction. I figure the way this is going, the Lions soon will be accepted warmly into Major League Baseball.

4. This idea of distractions is starting to become comical. I mean, guys get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to play a game, and then in the two-hour period during the day when they re on the field they re going to be distracted? What exactly is a distraction? The media watching? Fans cheering? An airplane flying? Can butterflies be banned from camp? During the season when wins and losses are at stake, I can better understand a coach wanting to close practice (though as a member of the media whose job depends on knowledge of the team, I d rather be able to watch every minute). But closing training camp to the people who support the team ranks right up there with a Supreme Court deciding an election.

[VNV Nation]

On distractions, I always thought it was funny how an 18-year-old guard playing college ball is supposed to make free throws with 15,000 people yelling at him and waving things in front of his face, yet you're not allowed to make any noise when Tiger Woods is putting or when Pete Sampras is putting.

To me, that's what distinguishes a sport (basketball) from country club events (golf, tennis).

[moose]

Originally posted by VNV Nation
On distractions, I always thought it was funny how an 18-year-old guard playing college ball is supposed to make free throws with 15,000 people yelling at him and waving things in front of his face, yet you're not allowed to make any noise when Tiger Woods is putting or when Pete Sampras is putting.

To me, that's what distinguishes a sport (basketball) from country club events (golf, tennis).

because making a breaking 6-footer is a lot tougher when you're shaking than making a free throw is.

that said, i've always wanted to see cheering in tennis

[Craig S.]

I can't believe they closed their practices!

I used to live close to their old training facility, and it was amazing how excited their fans got about seeing the team train. I guess fielding a poorly-coached, talent-lacking team for the past several years isn't enough to alienate their fans, so they had to try something new.

Living in a city with the Tigers and Lions, it's really no wonder Detroiters love the Wings so much.